Officials seek access to Aussie lawyer

10 Jun 2012, 2:25 pm   -   Source: AAP

Consular officials are still trying to gain access to an Australian lawyer arrested in Libya while representing the defence for slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi's son Seif al-Islam.

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Melinda Taylor is one of four International Criminal Court (ICC) staff being held in the country.

It's believed she was trying to pass documents to Seif.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the identity of the detained Australian lawyer as Melinda Taylor.

"Australian consular officials are seeking consular access to Ms Taylor, and clarification from the government in Tripoli on the circumstances of her detention," he said in a statement on Sunday.

He said the Australian government was monitoring the case closely and consular officials were in contact with Ms Taylor's family.

The ICC president Judge Sang-Hyun Song called for the immediate release of the four staff.

"We are very concerned about the safety of our staff in the absence of any contact with them," he said, in a statement.

"I call on the Libyan authorities to immediately take all necessary measures to ensure their safety and security and to liberate them."

He said the four international civil servants have immunity when on an official ICC mission.

It's believed Ms Taylor is under house arrest and is being questioned by authorities.

The ICC wants to try both Seif, 39, and his late father's spymaster, Abdullah Senussi, for crimes against humanity committed while trying to put down last year's bloody revolt.

But the new regime in Libya wants to put Seif on trial in a local court.

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